Frequently Asked Questions

Who administers the 11+ tests?

The tests are administered by Colyton Grammar School, and arrangements are broadly similar to those for entry to other Grammar Schools in the South West, Torquay Boys’, Torquay Girls’ and Churston Ferrers Grammar Schools in Torbay.

What if I currently live beyond the daily travelling distance to the school?

Unfortunately, to comply with the security requirements of the test provider, papers must be taken at Colyton Grammar School.

Is coaching necessary?

Schools are not expected to coach pupils for the papers. There is no advantage, beyond the familiarisation materials provided by this school, in coaching for the tests. Indeed, there is every prospect that it can create confusion and anxiety.

The tests aim to reflect Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum which is followed by all primary schools. Familiarisation materials are not commercially available.

What kind of questions are involved in the tests?

The main tests (two papers of approximately 50 minutes each) are commissioned from the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Durham University. A Familiarisation Booklet is available here.

How are the tests marked?

The Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) designs the mark scheme for their papers. All marks are 'standardised', according to the age in years and months of the applicant, to produce a final score. Standardising scores on the basis of age means that there is no fixed raw mark total for qualification as the number of correct answers required will vary according to the child’s age.

Who determines if a child is eligible for a place?

The Admissions Committee of Colyton Grammar School ranks all children on the eligible list.

Allocation of Places

The Admissions Committee will determine, by reference to performance in the tests, a rank order of students who should be offered a place.

Places will be offered to those students who meet the required standard in the tests.

Should more than 155 students meet the required standard, places will be awarded by rank order of test score.The Admissions Committee will provide Devon LA with a list of all eligible applicants ranked by order by 31 December. Where there are more eligible applicants than there are places available in the Year, the offer is determined by the application of the priorities for Admission Criteria (the available places are defined by the Published Admission Number).

When are results available?

Results of the tests will be available at least one week before the national deadline for submission of the Common Application Form (deadline for the Common Application Form is 31 October).

On National Allocation Day (01 March 2021), the Local Authority will inform parents of the school that has been allocated.

The school may disclose the order on the waiting list.

Does being on the Eligible List guarantee a place?

No. It means the child has attained eligible status. There will be 155 places available in Year 7. The places are allocated in an order ranked by the Admission Criteria.

What if my child gains an eligible test score and Colyton is a second or third preference?

If the child has not been deemed eligible for the schools ranked higher than Colyton, then they will be allocated a place if they fall within the first eligible 155, after the application of the Admission Criteria. If, however, they appear on the eligible list of a school for which a higher preference has been expressed, then that will be the place offered by the LA.

As a general guide, if your list of preferred schools includes the school designated as the catchment school for your area, then the child is likely to be included in that school’s eligible list.

Is it possible to appeal against a decision not to admit a child?

Yes. Any parent whose child has applied for and been refused a place may appeal to the Independent Appeals Committee against the decision not to allocate a place.

Following receipt of the letter from the LA notifying parents of non-allocation, notification of the wish to appeal should be addressed to the Clerk to the Devon Appeals Panel, c/o Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4QD. The main appeal round is expected to take place during early June and the written appeal must be made by 31 March 2020, in order to be included in the main round of Hearings.

Parents wishing to appeal must lodge their Appeal following Late Entry testing, within 20 school days of being notified of non-allocation by the Local Authority. The Appeal should be addressed to the Clerk to the Devon Appeals Panel, c/o Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4QD.

Is it possible to sit the test outside the main admissions round?

Yes. 11+ testing for a second round application (following the March allocation day) is held until the end of the Summer Term. It should, however, be noted that assuming eligibility, only a place on the waiting list is likely to be offered and the LA will therefore allocate a different school as appropriate.

Is it possible to enter the school from age 12 onwards?

Yes. Students can take 12+ or 13+ tests. The tests cover Mathematics, English and Science.

It should, however, be noted that assuming an eligible score, a place on the waiting list is likely to be offered for the relevant year group and any places that subsequently become available will be offered in the order determined by the Admission Criteria. A Common Application Form should be completed through the home Local Authority following the test results. Please note that any place that becomes available is offered for an immediate start, i.e. a place cannot be held open.

An individual student’s results are held on the relevant waiting list for one year or until the time of the next test. Only one test can be taken per academic year.